The present invention relates generally to call processing network design architectures, and particularly, to an IP based network LAN/WAN design implementing Internet Protocol (IP) subnet topology, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) WAN configuration, and network device configuration for partitioning a call processing application across multiple LAN sites.
There exist many types of networks and shared information communications systems. From a hierarchical standpoint, network topologies typically comprise a plurality of local area networks (LANs), such as Ethernet, which, depending upon the amount of users, location and amount of traffic, may be further interconnected locally with a high-speed backbone network, such as backbone fiber distributed data interface (FDDI), and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone networks. Multiple LANs owned by a single entity and geographically dispersed, may be interconnected via wide area networks (WANs) for long distance information transport. Such WAN transport technologies may include dial-up private networks, switched digital services, leased-lines, packet-switching and frame-relay services, cell relay, and public packet-switched network such as the Internet. It is understood that each type of network is capable of carrying different types of information: data, voice, multimedia including audio and video data. As known, ATM networks in particular, are connection oriented and capable of achieving certain quality of service (QoS) guarantees so that data, e.g., video, is transported across networks to their destinations in a timely manner. Other QoS guarantees include bandwidth control, prioritization of selected traffic, and traffic security.
In the telecommunications industry, there exist many types of call processing networks and network topologies for carrying prevalent types of traffic such as real-time call processing traffic, e.g., for toll-free number calls, and ATM provisioning traffic, e.g., for other types of prioritized traffic. Each of these traffic types have differing latency and processing requirements. In order to meet these differing requirements, it is advantageous to provide an overall network topology that is physically and logically partitioned to enable traffic segregation within a LAN and WAN, as desired, such that specific traffic types may be segregated to specific interfaces on network devices, and that specific traffic types may be delivered in the most mission efficient manner.
It would thus be highly desirable to provide a call processing network architecture that includes an IP based network LAN/WAN design implementing Internet Protocol (IP) subnet topology that may be configured to provide redundancy, reduce latency for mission critical call processing messages, and provide for all necessary traffic provisioning needs.
The present invention is directed to a call processing and provisioning network topology that makes use of subnets, so that traffic may be segregated within a LAN/WAN as desired and allowing for the assignment of specific traffic types to specific interfaces on network devices, e.g., allowing traffic to be directed to specific permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) in an ATM WAN. Each PVC is to be further configured using priority rate queuing enabling delivery of specific traffic types in the most mission efficient manner. The call processing network architecture of the invention particularly employs an IP based network LAN/WAN design implementing Internet Protocol (IP) subnet topology that is configured to provide redundancy, reduce latency for mission critical call processing messages, and provide for all necessary traffic provisioning needs.
According to the principles of the invention, there is provided a system and method for implementing a call processing application across a plurality of local area network (LAN) sites interconnected via a wide area network (WAN), with each LAN site comprising: (a) first high-speed network including and one or more interconnected network elements for handling call processing traffic, each the network element of the first network having an associated internet protocol IP address; (b) second high-speed network including one or more interconnected network elements for handling call provisioning traffic, each the network element of the second network having an associated internet protocol IP address, the associated IP addresses of the first and second high-speed networks being logically segregated into one or more subnets for handling call traffic according to traffic latency requirements; and, (c) a router device configured to interface with each the first and second high-speed networks at a site via the one or more subnets and enable traversal of call processing and provisioning traffic over the WAN destined from one LAN site to another of the LAN sites, whereby network traffic latencies are minimized by routing different network traffic types via the one or more subnets.
Advantageously, the invention provides maximum redundancy as redundancy is critical to the operational utility of the NIP, and minimal recovery times, with single points of failure being virtually eliminated.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.